TOSketchFestBlog
Groundhogs, The Grinch, Babies, Time Travelling, UFOs and Antartica?!
Find out more on all the selected films in this year’s Film Festival Portion of the 2024 Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival below. The Toronto Sketch Comedy Film Festival takes places live in-person on Wednesday March 6th 2024 at The Theatre Centre @ 9:00PM EST.
1980 Force by Wordburglar
The best toy commercial you never saw on a Saturday Morning.
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Wordburglar is a CBC award winning rapper, comic book creator and member of the Sketch Troupes Smells Like The 80s (with Cam Wyllie, K.Trevor Wilson and Curtis Diehl) and I Hope It’s Potatoes (with Tanya Wilson). He has written over 100 songs and you can find him on your local pants computer.
IG: @theWordburglar
TT: @wordburglar
X: @wordburglar
FB: facebook.com/wordburglar
WEBSITE: www.wordburglar.com
Antarctica, the Last Frontier by Tommy Marshall
He’s going to Antarctica. He might even take pictures and post them on social media.
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Tommy Marshall is the writer and director. Tommy is a comedy first filmmaker based in Toronto. Myles is the star. He is an actor and director based in Toronto, originally from Newfoundland. The cast and crew was entirely composed of a group of close friends who all work professionally in film.
IG: @prestige.television
Babydollz by Wench World Productions
A woman struggles to accept her friend’s pregnancy announcement.
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Wench World Productions is a woman-led filmed comedy initiative with the goal to foster a collective of creative comedy filmmakers , with an emphasis on female and queer points of view.
IG: @beckyswannick.mov
Cheap and Easy by Susan Serrao and ‘got milf?’
Sharron and Beverly have something to say about today’s society – it’s cheap and easy. This applies to what we eat, how we let video games train our kids and how shamelessly easy it is to search up and watch porn.
Do they walk the walk or just talk the talk? Find out in this sketch from the comedy series ‘got milf?’.
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Susan Serrao is the creator, writer, producer and lead performer of the sketch series ‘got milf?’ where ‘Cheap and Easy’ was created.
She studied comedy at Upright Citizen’s Brigade (NYC and LA), Loose Moose Theatre (Calgary) and life (everywhere!). She finds humour in everyday occurrences and in the silly thoughts that interrupt her glamourously milfy lifestyle (think hockey arenas and grocery stores).
Having performed internationally with people such as Dave Foley, Kevin MacDonald, Lamorne Morris and Juno Temple, Susan’s stage presence, comedic timing and commitment to character draws the audience in and keep them on the edge of their seats. She is known for fearlessly pushing the line while keeping the audience safe, engaged and laughing their god damn faces off.
Susan performs with improv groups The Fold, True Crimeprov and Maestro Impro. She is a stage actor working with such companies as Theatre Calgary, Alberta Theatre Projects, Broadway Dreams and many others. She has also acted in films and television series such as Fargo, Department of Paranormal Affairs, Heartland, Stage 5, Fortunate Son and others. Susan is also a filmmaker who has almost 3.9M views and over 14.5K subscribers on her Youtube channel “Susan Serrao Sketch Series” which includes her sketch series ‘Sketchy Beavers’, ‘Sandy and Susan Do Stupid Shit’ and her most recent series ‘got milf?’ which has official selections in film festivals around the world.
Sandy Hoekstra, the director and lead actor in ‘Cheap and Easy’, is an actor and independent filmmaker who was born in Alberta and resides in British Columbia, Canada. After graduating from her acting and filmmaking studies she has gone on to write, produce, direct, and act in numerous comedic sketches and horror short films. Along with her documentary work, these films have screened locally and internationally, gaining recognition after being officially selected.
IG: @iamsusanserrao
TT: @iamsusanserrao
YT: www.youtube.com/@gotMILFsketches
Coddle No More & Quote Me Outside by Nicholas Bentgen
Date night descends into a desperate game of cat and mouse when the Ishman family is terrorized by a hostile negotiator: their babysitter. /
This morning before he bounces, Nina’s one-night-stand would like to offer some inspirational words.
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Wisconsin-born, Brooklyn-bred filmmaker Nicholas Bentgen is an award-winning director, writer, actor, cinematographer, editor and proud father. Comfortable operating a camera or performing in front of one, Nicholas’ ability to create an atmosphere of collaboration and intimacy is second nature. From comedic trifles to emotional youth portraits to sumptuous documentary epics, Nicholas’ work is wide-ranging, yet always intentionally crafted and exceptionally human.
Nicholas’ work has been highlighted by The New York Times, Visions du Reel, Vimeo, and the UKMVAs, among others. His screenplay, DEY’DEY AND HIS BROTHERS was a selection of Berlinale Talents, Sundance Catalyst Forum and Sundance Screenwriters Lab. A series of comedy films that he wrote, edited, directed and stars in, is playing festivals now.
His latest documentary, FOURTY POUNDS, recently finished after five years of production. He continues to be proud of his portrait of the youth style collective, #LOVEYOURZ, which premiered on Dazed, the interview he directed and edited between Jay-Z and Dean Baquet for T Magazine, and his first feature documentary, NORTHERN LIGHT, which is a Critic’s Pick of The New York Times and The Village Voice.
As a cinematographer, he lensed Daniel Carbone’s HIDE YOUR SMILING FACES (Berlin 2013 / Tribeca 2013); Matt Wolf’s TEENAGE (Tribeca 2013 / Hot Docs 2013) as well as portions of Jody Lee Lipes’ BALLET 422 (Tribeca 2014) and Jane Schoenbrun’s COLLECTIVE:UNCONSCIOUS (SXSW 2016).
Though Nicholas may look like the Midwestern boy next door, don’t be fooled. His eye for affecting moments has been honed by hard-won experience. But it’s his infectious enthusiasm for life, and his belief in our collective power to create that will stick with you.
IG: @bentgen
TT: @tall_drink_of_milk
WEBSITE: www.nickbentgen.com
YT: https://youtube.com/@tall_drink_of_milk
Dani Bryan for Mayor & SATCarrie by Christan Leonard/Public Breakup
Mayoral candidate Dani Bryan has some ideas on how to fix Los Angeles: more axes /
Brunch gets a little messy in this sketch from LA sketch group Public Breakup.
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Christan Leonard is a writer, filmmaker, and recovering stand up comedian from Seattle, WA. She was a writer and producer for the award-winning web series Northern Belles and is currently a writer and performer with the sketch group Public Breakup. She lives in LA with her partner Mitch, their dogs Savannah and Franklin, and her Roomba Antonio.
IG: @publicbreakup @thisgirlchris
TT: @publicbreakup @thisgirlchris
Duckcession by No Worries If Not, a Gold Comedy team
Max introduces its sort-of-brand-new line-up of content coming this fall.Who needs writers when you have AI, right?
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No Worries If Not (NWIN) is a sketch comedy team created by Gold Comedy, the all-inclusive comedy world built for women and non-binary folks. The team includes Nora Walls, Michele O’Brien, Maggie Maxwell, Deirdre Manning, Caroline Ulwick, Caroline Kriegstein, and Emm O’Connor. NWIN’s sketches have been featured at the Catalyst Film Festival and on Comedy Cake.
IG: @goldcomedy
TT: @goldcomedy
WEBSITE: https://goldcomedy.com/
YT: https://www.youtube.com/@GOLDComedy/videos
Georgian Bay by Griffin Toplitsky
Reflections and a Treat!
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Griffin Toplitsky is the writer, director, and a surprising element of the cast. He has been an active member of the Toronto comedy community for a few years as both a video creator and an improviser, as well as hosting improv podcast Killed to Death. He roped in a lot of talented friends for this.
IG: @toplitsky
X: @toplitsky
YT: https://www.youtube.com/@toplitsky
GOT IT by Jade Yurich
Chess Lindback misinterprets an email reply as a job confirmation, crushes his dreams…
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Jade Yurich is a versatile Filmmaker and Comedian with a rich background in TV and post-production. Jade worked as an Associate Producer on the Crave Original series “I Have Nothing” alongside Carolyn Taylor, the series premiered at the Just For Laughs Toronto Festival on September 23, 2023.
IG: @jadeyurich
TT: @jadeyurichlaughs
X: @jadeyurichfilms
WEBSITE: jadeyurichfilms.com
FB: https://www.facebook.com/jadeyurichfilms
YT: https://www.youtube.com/@jadeyurichfilms/shorts
Honeyland: ANY TIME WILL DO & LISTEN TO ME by Victoria Harris
An original sketch series that explores the absurdity of life through the characters of HoneyLand.
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JJ Ingram – JJ Ingram has produced a diverse collection of independent feature films. She was also the Supervising Producer of the original comedy series Work in Progress (Showtime)
IG:
@PrdrJacqui @sethkthomas @lisabevolving @theronaldconner
@ilovecaliko @kellyehoward @Ashley_battle
TT: @lisabevolving
X: @PrdrJacqui @lisabevolving
Nature Calls by Herbert S. Tuttleton
Two Groundhogs live in the meadow. They are assholes.
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Herbert S. Tuttleton is an esteemed playwright and film auteur whose works have been featured and rejected regularly on [adult swim]. He continues to ardently defy Hollywood by contributing to the film collective CHANNEL 101 and performing stand up. He can be seen regularly at the Hollywood Improv, semi-regularly at the Comedy Store, heavily at Flappers in Burbank, and isn’t allowed in the Laugh Factory.
IG: @schinzer
X: @schinzer
YT: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN2h7_U_J8-d9otc72l5seg
Night Drives – Campfire in the Sky by Jono Hunter
This doesn’t sound like normal camping.
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Jono Hunter and Alex Stypula teamed up with a mob of Toronto Comedians for their rotoscope animated series, Night Drives. Individual sketches have screened at nearly 30 festivals worldwide and the pilot won the Summer Chastant Episodic Award and the Episodes Audience Award at Slamdance 2024
IG: @ilovenightdrives @jmbhunter
TT: @ilovenightdrives
WEBSITE: ilovenightdrives.com
no, YOU’RE amazing! by Céline Tshika
A girls’ night turns into a bar fight when two women refuse to take each other’s compliments
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Writer and star Céline Tshika is a longtime lover of satire. Her first acting job was as a correspondent on a satirical news show, and since then, she’s written webisodes and sketches on her own. During her year in LA, she created, wrote and starred in an award-winning web series ‘Jess Goes West,’ about being an African in America. Since returning to Cape Town, she has found her speciality in satire, starting with the ad for a fictional men’s body wash, ‘Stank Like a MAN.’ The project ‘no, YOU’RE amazing!’ is the fourth satirical short she’s written and acted in, following the acclaimed mockumentary ‘The Wapidemic’ and the 48-hour Girls in Film x OTV short, ‘Cape Town Royalty Programme.’ She’s an up-and-coming stand-up comedian in Cape Town, and is currently the co-host of the South African satirical news show ‘Politically Aweh.’
Director Kate Pinchuck is an established Cape Town comedian. She had a recurring role in multiple-award-winning South African mockumentary show ‘Tali’s Baby Diary.’ She’s a prominent comedy writer and director, well versed in sketch comedy.
Co-star Kathleen Stephens is a rising star in the South African industry. An accomplished actor and theatre-maker, she’s smoothly transitioned to the screen in the last few years. She appears in Netflix’s One Piece, and South African thriller ‘Death of a Whistleblower’ coming to Amazon Prime.
IG: @celinetshika
TT: @celinetshika
X: @celinetshika
WEBSITE: https://celinetshika.com
FB: facebook.com/celine.tshika
YT: youtube.com/@celinetshika
Possessive Partner by Don’tMake Films
Mark seems to be in bad spirits for his date with Mindy, while Mindy feels the shadow of her ex haunting the evening.
Is it just a feeling, or is Mark not who he says he is?
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Don’tMake Films is a comedy group that builds a comedic playground for talented actors/creatives to drop in and have fun with an emphasis on nurturing a strong collaborative environment. Through the lens of genre play, magical realism, and high-stakes scenarios, we dissect universal human experiences like insecurity, messy break-ups, and a lack of appreciation for finding the edges of time and space so that you are never late for a friend-hang… you know, just the regular stuff we all go through.
IG: @DontMakeFilms
TT: @DontMakeFilms
YT: https://www.youtube.com/dontmakefilms
Say My Name by A Braatz
A dinner party takes a turn when a guest can’t remember their host’s name. A night to forget.
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We are creatives that love to play in the realm of the absurd. We’ve created a number of works together that garnered laurels under best dark comedy short for Iain Stewart’s brilliant piece, “Starry Eyed”. Watch for another one of our upcoming shorts called “The Good Hench”
IG: @albraatz
WEBSITE: www.albraatz.com
SPAM Alert by We’ll Call You
A very important PSA about SPAM Alerts
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We’ll Call You is a GOLD Comedy Digital Production Team creating bloody good sketches out of Los Angeles. They specialize in sketch comedy with a dark twist. Their work has been featured at Lysistrata Comedy Festival and Catalyst Story Institute & Content Festival.
IG:
We’ll Call You: @wellcallyoucomedy Writer/Editor/Lead: @sheadepmore Gold Comedy: @goldcomedy Additional tags: Actor @danielmshawn, Producer/DP @elle_lo, Camera @stampness, We’ll Call You Team Member @adefillo
TT:
Writer/Editor/Lead: @sheadepmore Gold Comedy: @gold_comedy_
X:
Writer/Editor/Lead: @sheadepmore Gold Comedy: @GOLDComedy Additional tags: Actor @danielmshawn, Producer/DP @elle_lo, Camera @stampness, We’ll Call You Team Member @adefillo
WEBSITE:
https://goldcomedy.com/digital-production-teams/
YT:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzILeF4Fl9bOFDiRutVIuQJg4J9aRvt1U
Spermatozoon by Cathy Tang
Good news! She’s pregnant. Bad news…their doctor used the wrong sperm.
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Cathy Tang is a first-generation Chinese Canadian/American writer and director whose works cross-examine family, identity, and societal norms through a comedic lens. Her horror-comedy script, The B-Word, placed in the top 20 percent of scripts at the 2022 Austin Film Festival. Her award-winning short films, Mama Tang and InstaFriends, have screened at numerous festivals including CAAMFEST, Soho International Film Festival, and the Austin Revolution Film Festival, where she won the award for best produced screenplay. Cathy is a graduate of the UCLA Professional Program in Feature Screenwriting and performs improv comedy in Vancouver with her all BIPOC troupe, Details To Follow.
Shaughnessy Redden, Lead (Roy):
Shaughnessy Redden grew up in the interior of BC but lived in Toronto, the USA, and Europe for a number of years before relocating to Vancouver, BC. Under the tutelage of the William Esper Studio in New York, Shaughnessy has been seen performing in theatre such as 12 Angry Men; The Lover; Suburban Motel; and The Boys in the Band to name a few. If he is not preparing for the stage he can also be found on set with a diverse portfolio ranging from high-budget network productions to independent films. Notable credits include major roles on AMC’s The Terror, Creepshow 4, UP TV’s Mixed Baggage, Hallmark’s When Calls the Heart; and recurring roles on APPLE TV’s Home Before Dark. He also enjoys taking time to support Hollywood North’s vastly evolving film community. Outside of his love for acting, Shaughnessy takes pleasure in travelling, experiencing foreign cultures with his partner, and performing blues roots country rock music.
IG: @cathyxtang
WEBSITE: www.cattang.com
FB: https://www.facebook.com/cathyxtang
The Future is a Joke? By Jack Creaghan
Three friends are visited by their future selves. One of them is convinced that it’s a joke at her expense.
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Jack Creaghan is a filmmaker and comedian in Toronto. He is part of the sketch troupe Cheap Wine who won sketchiest sketch troupe at the fest last year. You can catch them live this year at the opening night gala, or for their full show on March 8 & 14th at the Theatre Centre.
IG: @jackey_cee
Accountabuddy by Writers Room Sketch Show
Are you falling behind in life? Are you yearning for more structure? Do you wish a little Doug Ford was in your pocket? With the new Accountabuddy App™, you’ll stay on task and on time with all of life’s pesky responsibilities. Struggling to take care of yourself? Our buddies can motivate you to take that shower you’ve skipped all week. High cost of living got you down? Our Buddies can tell you which Loblaws has rotting food on sale! Download Accountabuddy™ today!
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Writers Room Sketch Show is a variety sketch show satirizing pop culture and Toronto news with an in-depth look inside the writer’s room. It brings a millennial/Gen Z comedic lens to all things Canadian by asking hard-hitting questions like, what is Cancon? Whether it’s climate change, artificial intelligence, or the new Tim Horton’s breakfast sandwiches with Freshly Cracked EggsTM, our show satirizes the crushing anxiety of being a young person in a country that’s only known for hockey, maple syrup, and apologizing. Writers Room Sketch Show aims to combine nostalgia, Canadian existentialism, tech and disturbing current events into sketches that resonate with people like us.
It’s the creative brainchild of Christopher Kelly, Marileina Pearson, Kieran Turnbull, and Michelle Forrester. The four met while pursuing their Masters in Scriptwriting and Story Design at Toronto Metropolitan University. The show was designed as a vehicle to showcase their work while also getting to network with Toronto’s creative community. The four are eternally grateful to their cast and classmates for helping out as needed. It’s a true passion project, with no budget but their ever-increasing student loans. The Writers Room team has discovered the importance of surrounding yourself with good people and great snacks. From cold readings of scripts to workshopping with actors on set, there’s lots of ridiculous fun to be had in trying to capture a laugh.
Writers Room Sketch Show was selected as the winning project by a panel of CBC creative and industry experts in the Just For Laughs/CBC Stand up and Pitch Contest in 2023.
IG:@writersroom_sketchshow
YT: https://www.youtube.com/@WritersRoomSketchShow
Your Money’s No Good Here by Jakob Skrzypa
A common phrase’s misinterpretation propels one man’s life into a dark, downward spiral.
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Canadian comedy creators Jakob and Alex have wrote, directed, and produced sketches for Funny or Die and CBC, award-winning short films which played at festivals like Fantasia and Toronto After Dark and their debut feature “Vampire Zombies… from Space!” is set for festival release this year.
IG: @jakobmakesmovies
WEBSITE: www.jakobmakesmovies.com
YT: youtube.com/fununclevideos
